[Definitive transient monocular blindness caused by ocular compression during general anesthesia].

We present a case of irreversible monocular blindness caused by obstruction of the central retinal artery detected in a young patient without any previous history, when waking up from a surgical procedure performed under general anesthesia. Clinical and complementary investigations were not conclusive. Nevertheless, when inquiring on the surgical procedure, it appeared that the patient was lying in a procubitus position, so that his head may have slipped on the head support, resulting in compression on his right eyeball. The fact that the patient was simultaneously submitted to a controlled low blood pressure may have worsened the effects of the compression. Reviewing the medical literature on the subject reveals that, although rare, such accidents do occur; they must be prevented by a constant surveillance when performing surgical procedures.